Building Your Business by Building Your Professional Circle ...

By Beth Zaski, COO Lifelines Academy & Network

In today?s fast paced world of technology and social media it is hard to know the most effective ways to grow and advertise your business.? In some cases getting back to basics can be a great first step.? One of the most common ways to get customers is through referrals.? Most people go to friends and family, but business colleagues can be ideal sources for recommendations and referrals.

Many times as professionals we join networking groups that are made up of other people that offer a similar product or service; for example, a networking groups of all realtors, all attorneys, all senior move managers, all home health care providers or all geriatric care managers. This can be a great way to stay up on matters relevant to your industry, exchange ideas on what is working and what is not or gain insights on new ways to manage your business and your offerings. However, for the most part, this type of networking leads to very few referrals. Occasionally, you will find someone that needs a specific service that you offer that others in your field do not but the fact remains that you are competitors.

But, what about networking with people who are in fields totally different from you? Better yet, fields that are good complements to the product or services you offer.? At Lifelines Academy we encourage our students and network members to build their professional circle with people that can serve as great sources of business referrals and can offer a complementary service to their customers. These are people that can learn about what you do, get to know you and become part of your professional circle.? You can help each other grow your businesses.

For those of you serving seniors, your professional circle could include geriatric care managers, realtors focused on the senior market, senior move managers, elder law attorneys, home health providers, Medicare and Medicaid insurance consultants, end of life planners, professional organizers, investment planners and more.? Don?t be afraid to reach out to several professions.? Your networking can be done locally at face to face events and you can also utilize online options like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites.? Start building your professional circle today and make it a goal to expand it each year.

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Source: http://lifelinesacademy.com/2012/11/09/building-your-business-by-building-your-professional-circle/

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